Agbonlahor backs Benteke to come good

Gabriel Agbonlahor has vowed to help team-mate Christian Benteke end his eight-game goal drought for Aston Villa.

After scoring 19 goals in 34 Premier League games in his debut season at Villa Park, Belgium international Benteke has struggled in comparison to last term in 2013-14, as he has four goals in 11 appearances. The striker last found the net since for Villa in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in mid-September.

A lack of goals is not just problematic for Benteke as Villa have scored 13 times in as many matches this season – with Agbonlahor yet to find the target – but the 27-year-old insists confidence remains high and expects his fellow forward to be back to his best soon.

"If you feel like everyone's on your back, the goals don't come," he told the Birmingham Mail. "Christian is a quality player, he's a strong personality and the goals will come.

"It's down to us as a team to keep creating the chances for him. That's our job as well.

"After last season there's going to be a lot of expectation on him. He's still doing well in training, he's working hard so the goals will come.

"Of course, if you're a star player people are going to try and mark you. After last season there's going to be a lot of expectation on him, but he's a quality player."

Villa travel to Southampton on Wednesday looking to extend their unbeaten run to five games and claim a third away win of the season.